Snowfall Biggest Of Year Schools Close, Roads Open In 6-inch Storm

February 12, 1986|The Morning Call

Mother Nature unleashed her worst storm of the winter yesterday, dropping 6 inches of snow on Upper Bucks. But other than school closings, it created only minor inconvenience as municipal and state crews kept major roads clear.

"We've had very few problems so far, very few problems," said William Taylor, county manager for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation .

PennDOT and area municipalities dispatched dozens of plows and salt spreaders during the pre-dawn darkness when the low-pressure system and its snow swept up from Virginia.

The result was few problems for motorists making their way to work. State police at the Dublin barracks reported only one minor accident by late morning.

William Dovico, a National Weather Service meteorologist who lives in Nockamixon Township, said 6 inches of snow fell into his back-yard gauge, bringing to 9 inches the amount of snow on the ground.

The low-pressure system originated in the Gulf of Mexico and traveled north along the eastern slopes of the Appalachians. It pivoted east in Virginia but was far enough north to bring this area its heaviest snowfall of the season as the system swept northeast into the Altantic Ocean.

The snow began about 3 a.m. and continued heavily until 7 a.m., a period when 4 of the 6 inches fell, Dovico said. Light snow and flurries continued through the morning and into the mid-afternoon before the storm ended.

At PennDOT's county maintenance headquarters in Doylestown, Taylor said a full complement of 150 workers and 101 plow trucks, front-end loaders and graders were on the roads, keeping open 2,000 miles of roads and 755 bridges. Salting and cindering began at 2 a.m., with plowing starting between 4 and 5 a.m.

At the storm's start, PennDOT had 10,000 tons of salt and 11,000 tons of anti-skid cinders stockpiled at centers throughout the county, Taylor said.

In Quakertown, Borough Manager Nicholas Luca said salting operations began at 3:30 a.m. As the snow accumulated, four large plows and two smaller ones began clearing roads at 6:30 a.m. In all, about 20 borough employees were clearing roads and sidewalks at the height of the storm.

"All crews are working on the snow problem, whether it be hand work or big truck plows," Luca said.

He said the borough had budgeted $20,000 for snow removal this season and had 20 to 30 tons of salt on hand at the start of the storm.

In Sellersville, Administrative Assistant Alan Frick said the borough called out seven to 10 men equipped with three plows, a back hoe and two plow- equipped tractors at 4 a.m.

They were expected to continue working until 10 last night clearing roads and alleys. Clearing sidewalks and snow removal were expected to occur today.

Frick estimated that the borough will spend up to $1,800 of its $28,000 snow removal budget on the storm. He said the borough road crew was expected to use up to 18,000 tons of the borough's 78,000-ton salt supply.

In nearby Perkasie, Public Works Superintendent Martin Grossmyer said road salting began at 3:30 a.m. and plowing at 7 a.m. Eight men equipped with four trucks with plows and a front-end loader were assigned to clear the streets.

The storm forced cancellation of classes in the Quakertown Community, Pennridge, Souderton Area, Palisades and Upper Perkiomen school districts.